Embassy of India - Lima

Your Excellency Dr. Martin Principe, Mayor of Lince, Mr. Promod Mittal, Indo-Peruvian Friendship Association, distinguished guests, members of the Indian community, ladies and gentleman

I would, in the first place, like to place on record my great esteem and gratitude to the distinguished Mayor of Linze for his noble initiative for holding this memorable function, in which we commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi .

Gandhi, arguably one of the greatest figures of the past millennium, continues to be as, if not even more, relevant in the current millennium as well. While Gandhi is rightly acknowledged universally as the very apostle of non-violence, what is significant is that his ardent and resolute commitment to non-violence is but a manifestation of his abiding and unswerving faith in moral and humanitarian values. It is this strong underpinning of moral values animating Gandhian philosophy which has steered Gandhi to seek equality and justice for the victims and the exploited without recourse to violence. This, in its turn, is based on GandhiÂ’s firm belief in the innate goodness of mankind, on his conviction that any appeal to the human conscience against acts or situations which are in blatant disregard or violation of the basic tenets of human dignity and justice cannot but find a resonance in the hearts and minds of all, not excluding the very oppressors or exploiters who seek to sustain such an inequitable status quo. Needless to say, consensus and cooperation form part and parcel of the dynamics of the Gandhian approach in finding lasting, and often innovative, solutions to seemingly intractable issues.

Understandably, there has been increasing skepticism about the relevance and significance of the Gandhian approach in the contemporaneous setting, where violence is often the first and not necessarily even the last recourse in a fast paced life; in which, at times, there is little patience or sympathy for the opposing view point, a world where intolerance and resort to force is often the norm rather than the exception. The challenges posed by such situations are daunting, but the solution is evidently in ensuring the creation of an ambience where the voices of reason and sanity, imbued with a compelling moral imperative, are not only fostered but sustained throughout.  The need is to galvanize world opinion so that the conscience of the masses become transformed into an irresistible force, a pro-active undercurrent which would  serve as a potent deterrent to attempts at imposing an unjust order or state of affairs. The insistent calls for compromise and dialogue which emanate from virtually all parts of the world when confronted with unjust and untenable situations, be they in whichever region, are themselves, in a sense, a vindication of the Gandhian approach and philosophy.

Long before the current age of globalization, the venerable seers of India had the profound spiritual insight to articulate the precept “Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam”, i.e. the world is a family, and the Gandhian worldview is inextricably intertwined with his conviction of the common destiny of mankind. In an increasingly globalized and inter-dependent world, to be immune or indifferent to the travails of fellow human beings – be they in  the remotest corner of the planet – could hardly be said to be either tenable or desirable, and hence the inevitability of the Gandhian logic of collective affirmative action of global reach and potency.

I would like once again thank His Excellency Dr. Martin Principe, the distinguished Mayor of Lince and all present over here on this memorable occasion.

Thank you,